Folding chair



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. SWAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO ARAS G. WILLIAMS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 29,750, dated August 21, 1860; Reissued August 30,

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES II. SWAN, of

the city, county, and State of New York,

have invented a new and Improved Folding and Reclining Chair; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention in an unfolded state, ready for use. Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same in a folded state.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a chair which may be folded within a very small compass, and still have a back capable of being inclined more or less at the option of the occupant.

The invention is designed to facilitate and economize in the transportation of chairs, of the class alluded to, and to render the same more convenient and altogether more desirable in cases where they require to be frequently folded when not in use; for instance, when obtained for balconies, piazzas, etc., it being an object to have them fold as compactly as possible so as to monopolize the least possible room. To this end I employ jointed cross legs and attach the back of the chair to the back ends of the front legs of the same by joints, and connect the back to the upper ends of the back legs by means of jointed arms, substantially as hereinafter described.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A, A, B, B, represent cross legs which are connected by a traverse bar C, the latter forming a joint and connection for the legs, so that the latter may fold together. The upper ends of each pair of legs A, A, B, B, are connected by traverse bars D, and to these bars any suitable fabric E, may be attached to form the seat, the fabric requiring to be of such a nature that it Inay fold readily as the legs are folded.

To the upper ends of the legs A, A, the lower end of the back F, is attached by joints a, a, the back being allowed to work freely on the joints a.

To each side of the back F, there is attached by a joint b, an arm G; and to the front ends of the arms there are connected by oints or hinges o, bars H, the lower ends of which are secured by joints (l, to the upper ends of the legs B, B. The bars H, are notched at their back sides as shown at d, to receive the ends of pawls I, which are secured to the outer sides of the legs B.

The back F, may be constructed in the ordinary way, but in order to obtain lightness it would be preferable to have it formed of a frame filled in with cane, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the above description it will be seen that the back F, may be inclined more or less by adjusting the pawls I, higher or lower in the notches of the bars I-I, the higher the pawls are adjusted in the notches (l, the greater the inclination of the back, and vice versa.

In order to fold the chair compactly the pawls I, are disengaged from the notches d', the back F, turned over backward, and the legs A, A, B, B, folded together as shown clearly in Fig. 3, the whole being thereby comprised within a very small space.

I am aware that crossed legs have been used, and also crossed legs with a back attached, but in the latter case the back is attached directly to the legs, and the chair when folded is equal in length to the back and legs. By my invention it will be seen that by attaching the back F, to the legs A, by joints and thereby admitting of the folding backward of the back; the chair when folded is materially shortened and rendered very compact.

I do not claim the employment or -use of cross legs; nor the jointed arms for they have been previously used, but

I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

The combination of the legs A, A, B, B, jointed arms G, and the rack F, attached by joints a, a, to the legs A; all being arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES H. SIVAN.

Vitnesses:

DANIEL S. MEAD, Jr., M. M. LIVINGSTON. 

